Indian government to draft new education policy

The director of education at the British Council in India has called the country’s new education policy discussion points “very encouraging” because of the inclusion of internationalisation of HE as a top 20 priority.

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About Sara CusterSara is an international education journalist from Oklahoma. She completed her BA in Chicago, taught English in Barcelona and landed in London to be an international student herself completing a master's in international journalism.

There is a big push on digital, as we might expect– further evidence that the UK should engage in this area

For the first time in more than two decades, the government of India is drafting a new education policy which will include reforms on the internationalisation in higher education, digitisation of education and skills development.

The government has released 33 discussion themes– 13 for secondary, 20 for post-secondary– to the public for consultation, a process which the government expects could take up to a year.

“It’s not whether internationalisation should happen, but how to make it happen”

Speaking about the government’s new approach to internationalisation, Richard Everitt, director of education at the British Council in India said: “It’s not whether it should happen, but how to make it happen.”

Strengthening of vocational education; promotion of languages; integrating skills development in higher education; promoting open and distance learning and online courses; and engagement with industry to link education to employability are among other topics available for discussion on the government’s website until the end of March.

International education stakeholders in the country say the list of proposed discussion themes show the government is taking a relevant approach to modernise the current education environment.

However, Lakshmi Iyer, Director and Head of Education for market entry specialist Sannam S4, commented that in efforts to internationalise higher education, the government needs to make clear its stance on allow domestic provider to partner with foreign institutions.

“As we face our capacity challenges in India, we also have a responsibility to offer a clear framework that will make operating in India reasonably easy,” she said.

Iyer highlighted the country’s potential to become an education hub for students from Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Nepal, Iran and Africa given the right government support.

“We have traditionally attracted students from these countries and Africa, we can attract more if we have international campuses that open up,” she said.

For years, foreign and domestic providers have been challenged by the government’s hard stance on keeping foreign providers out.

But, last month, in response to UK-based Indian billionaire G P Hinduja’s call on the government to open its doors to foreign providers, Minister of Human Resource Development Smriti Irani said she is prepared pick up a foreign provider bill that’s been in political stalemate since 2010.

Iyer added that if the government is keen to recruit more inbound students, it needs to work on transforming education hot spots into desirable places to live.

“One theme that I haven’t seen is infrastructure for education,” she said. “I think it is a key issue as we are talking of opening up education cities. To make these cities attractive, local infrastructure will also need to be developed to very high standards.”

Other discussion topics show shoots of opportunities for foreign providers particularly in secondary school tuition, digitalisation and exam assessments said Everitt.

“To make these cities attractive, local infrastructure will also need to be developed to very high standards”

“On schools the three areas where the UK may have most interest is in teachers training and quality improvement, schools quality and comprehensive education which includes, life skills, citizenship and sports,” he commented. “There is a big push on digital, as we might expect– further evidence that the UK should engage in this area not only through UK platforms, but in India.”

Both Iyer and Everitt lauded the democratic approach the government is taking to draft the new policy but agree that only time will tell how it translates into action.

“I wonder how much of a useful consultation this will be, rather than just part of a political stratagem to seen to be closer to the people,” said Everitt.

Meanwhile, Iyer charges that after being elected by a majority mandate last year, Prime Minister Modi has obligations to voters. “A lot of youth voted for Mr. Modi and he has promises to keep,” she said.

“One of those promises is that of fulfilling the aspirations of middle class Indian youth whose families attach tremendous value still to a quality education.”

This is a very big step forward in Internationalization of Higher Education. By mainstreaming Higher Education policy, the government is showing the willingness to tap the potential of converting India’s large human capital into tremendous future growth. It is a win- win situation if the changes are allowed in such a way that the foreign providers do not disadvantage Indian domestic providers but partake in cocreation and transference of skill and training. The likelihood of such collaboration to trickle down to SE Asian countries is higher with the India’s latest foreign policy initiatives. India and China in the recent bilateral talks in May, 2015 agreed on transference and cooperation in the field of vocational training and skills. This is a huge step forward in regionalization of HE in Asia. PM Modi has shown his willingness to share the economic growth and advancement with other Asian countries by making the growing Indian market available to these economies. In the light of these foreign policy developments the day is not far when SE economies would develop their huge potential in Internationalization of HE.

You can follow me on twitter for more views and updates on Internationalization of HE and development cooperation @https://twitter.com/NamrataSangma

Updating study materials,teacher education programme needs to be pragmatic,examination system reformed.Teacher recruitment requires honest &transparent system.Teacher recharge programme should be made mandatory in all states.

The New Education Policy of India is a hope for mankind if it makes it child centered, child rights (UNCRC & RTE Act, 2009) and global needs based and life related. It will bring peace and development, unity and fraternity among seven billion members of the global family -young and old, starting with India. I am ready to share the School development program based on the above points.
Rohit Vemula’s tragic call for justice is one more wake up call for human rights which can be realized only by honoring child rights, right to education, in particular.
One of the guiding principles of UNCRC is Child Participation. Let every adolescent may be requested to give opinion on what they want- Quality national education with common school system or reservation with no quality school education based on inequality! Children constitute almost half of our population. Let us perform our fundamental duty to honor their rights to prove to the world that India believes in Global Family where love dominates.

Education is the backbone of a nation. Giving quality education is the foremost duty of the govt to its citizens. International standards be our approach. It is always better to give vocational courses to our ward so that they can stand on their own legs. Our new approach for a quality education is the most welcome. Strengthen the teaching community with capability and with international standards is a must. The reservation system to end and allow all the people to get quality education by providing scholarship to the needy. The digital world to fulfil the aspirations of people.

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